


Ode to a Nightingale

by tinybox



Series: unreality_strikes_back.exe [15]
Category: Doki Doki Literature Club! (Visual Novel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:54:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22685797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinybox/pseuds/tinybox
Summary: At the third meeting, Kaito and Yuri read her favorite book together.
Series: unreality_strikes_back.exe [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1619047
Kudos: 3





	Ode to a Nightingale

***Load**

Now that everyone's settled in, I expect Monika to kick off some scheduled activities for the club. But that doesn't seem the case- Sayori and Monika are having a cheerful conversation in the corner, and Yuri's face is already buried in a book.

I can't but notice her intense expression, like she was waiting for this chance all along.

Meanwhile, Natsuki is rummaging around in the closet.

I'm really curious to talk to Yuri a little more...but at the same time, I would feel bad for distracting her while she's reading.

I catch a glimpse of the cover of the book, it looks like the same book she lent to me...more than that, she seems to be on the first few pages.

Crap, I think she noticed me.

Double crap, we just made eye contact.

Yuri seems to be even more embarrassed than I am, given by the fact that she buries her nose further in her book.

"Sorry...I was just spacing out..." I mumble, trying not to make things more awkward. 

"Oh...it's fine. If I was focused, then I probably wouldn't have noticed in the first place. But I'm just re-reading a bit of this, so..."

"That's the book you gave me, right?"

Yuri nods. "Mmh. I wanted to re-read it some of it..."

She pauses, flushing slightly, before blurting out, "Not for any particular reason...!"

"Just curious, how come you have two copies of the same book? Actually, now that I say it out loud, the idea seems pretty sound. Not only can you...wait, I was about to go on a tangent. Um..."

"That's okay," Yuri says, face still flushed. "Well, when I went to the bookstore yesterday-ah, that's not what I meant...I mean...I just happened to buy two of them."

"I think I might start doing that, actually. Sayori has a habit of borrowing stuff from me and losing it somewhere in her room. Honestly, I don't know why I hadn't thought of that before...well, thanks for giving me this book."

"It's a very enjoyable read," Yuri tells me. "Once it starts to pick up, you might have a hard time putting it down. It's a very engaging and relatable story."

"Is that so? Um...without giving too much away, can you tell me a little bit about the book?"

Yuri closes her copy, turning it over to the back, quickly reading the synopsis. 

"Hmm..."

"Hmm?"

"Oh! I just wanted to make sure I don't accidentally give anything away. Basically, it's about this girl in high school who moves in with her long-lost younger sister...but as soon as she does so, her life gets really strange. She gets targeted by these people who escaped from a human experimental prison...and while her life is in danger, she needs to desperately choose who to trust. No matter what she does, she ends up destroying most of her relationships and her life starts to fall apart..."

Huh.

Yuri made it sound like it was going to be a nice story, so that dark turn came out of nowhere.

"Are you not a fan of that sort of thing, Kaito?"

I shrug. "I don't get scared easily, and I like watching horror movies...so I'll be alright...but if I'm not, you're going to have to pay for my therapy bills, deal?"

Now that she knows I'm not serious about that kind of stuff, Yuri giggles.

it's kind of funny, though...Yuri's so shy and reclusive on the outside, but her mind seems to be completely different. 

"It's just that those kind of stories," Yuri begins, "they challenge you to look at life from a strange new perspective. When horrible things happen not just because someone wants to be evil...but because they have their own goals, or their own philosophy that they believe in. Then suddenly, when you thought you related to the protagonist...they're made out to be the naive one for letting their one-sided morals interfere with the villain's plans."

Yuri pauses. "I'm...I'm rambling again, aren't I? Not again...I'm sorry." 

"Hey, don't apologize...you're talking to the king of rambling right here. But even if I wasn't, you're a genuinely interesting person, Yuri."

She doesn't look particularly convinced. "Well...I guess it's alright, then...but I feel like I should let you know that I have this problem...when I let books and writing fill my thoughts...I kind of forget to pay attention to other people...so I'm sorry if I end up saying something strange! And please stop me if I'm talking too much!"

"That's- I really don't think you need to worry...that just means you're passionate about reading. The least I can do is listen. It's a literature club, after all."

"Ah- well, that's true," Yuri admits.

"In fact, I might as well get started reading it, right?"

"Y-you don't have to!" Yuri blurts out, face crimson. 

"That's okay, I want to."

I gesture to the desk next to hers. "Is it alright if I sit here?"

When Yuri doesn't respond, I slid into the chair. She startles a little. "Ah-"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you want me to move? Don't worry, it won't hurt my feelings."

"No...I'm fine. It's just...not something I'm used to...that is, reading in company with someone."

"That makes sense. Let me know if I end up distracting you or anything."

"A-alright."

I open the book and start the prologue. Quickly, I get what Yuri meant about reading in company- it's as though I can feel her presence over my shoulder as I read.

It's not a particularly bad feeling...it's just...different.

Maybe a little distracting, but the feeling is somewhat comforting. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice that Yuri isn't actually looking at her own book.

I glance over. Huh, it looks like she's reading from my book instead-

"S-sorry!" Yuri stammers, "I was just-!"

"Yuri, you really apologize a lot, don't you?"

"I...do? I don't really mean to...sorry."

When she says sorry for the second time, her face goes beet red. "I mean-"

"I have an idea," I quickly interrupt. Before Yuri can say anything else, I slide my desk until it's close enough to touch Yuri's, then hold my book more between the two of them. "Is this good? Let me know if you think it's weird."

"I-it's fine."

Once we each lean in a little bit, our shoulders are almost touching. My left arm feels like it's in the way, so I use my right hand to hold the book open. 

Hang on a second...

"I guess that makes it a little tricky to turn the page," I admit. "Probably should have thought this through a little more."

"Here..." Yuri says, using her left hand to hold the left side of the book between her thumb and forefinger. 

I mirror her, using my right hand to hold the right side of the book between my thumb and forefinger. "Good idea."

That way, I turn a page, and Yuri slides it under her thumb after it flips to her side. 

In doing so, however, we've inched together even closer.

"...Are you ready to turn the page?" Yuri asks.

I can feel my face flushing as I respond, "Oh! I'm sorry! I guess I got distracted..." 

Glancing over at her, our eyes meet for a second. "Ah...you're not used to reading, right? I don't mind being patient if it takes you a little longer...it's probably the least I can do, seeing as you've been so patient with me."

"T-thanks."

We continue reading; Yuri no longer asks me to turn the page, instead, I just assume that she finishes the page before me, so I turn it when I'm ready to move on.

"You know, this may be a little silly thought, but the main character reminds me of you a little bit."

"Y-you think so? How is she?" Yuri asks hesitantly.

"Well, in some ways she's more blunt than you...but she also second-guesses everything she says and does. Like she's afraid of doing something wrong. It's not like I can see into your head or anything, but...you seem like someone who thinks things over for a while before saying them. Someone who has a lot of important things to say."

Yuri remains silent for a moment. 

"I'm sorry if I said something awkward," I say sheepishly. 

"No, it's just-"

"Okay, everyone!" Monika cheerfully interrupts, "I think it's about time we share today's poems with each other. We might not have enough time if we wait too long."

"Ah-" Yuri exhales, clearly spared from having to continue talking.

"Is everything okay, Yuri?" Monika asks, green eyes widening in concern. "You look kind of down...I'm sorry if you hadn't be looking forward to this..."

"Ah, it's not...it's fine," Yuri says quietly, releasing her hand from the book. 

"I'll read more of this tonight," I tell Yuri. "I think I'll be able to get at least a chapter done. But...would it be alright if we read like this tomorrow as well?"

"That sounds lovely."

***Save**


End file.
